There are things that are only possible in Argentina and Gaturron't is one of them. I think it's the first exhibition of its kind that I've seen and I'm almost certain that it's unprecedented in the world of graphic humour. It is the first thematic collective dedicated exclusively to a cartoonist and his work.
Gaturron't is an exhibition/party that took place on the 4th of April at the Cooperativa Cultural QI (Cultural Space in Villa Crespo) on 240 Thames street in Buenos Aires. The event was organised by Josefina Blattmann and Proyecto Piranha, a publishing house and cultural producer that has been collaborating since 2016 with Latin American visual artists and illustrators in the publication and distribution of their work.
The title of this fantasy is not easy to translate if you don't know what it's about, but it could read something like "No to Gaturro" or "Against Gaturro".
Gaturro is the character created by Cristian Gustavo Dzwonik, better known as Nik. Gaturro has always been considered a "bootleg" of Garfield, that is, an unauthorised or "pirated" edition and a bad copy of Jim Davis' famous cat.
Nik doesn't like him, that's more than evident. Neither in the guild nor among the general public. He has the sad honour in Argentina, and in much of the rest of the world, that his signature is already associated with plagiarism as a synonym. Here and here you can find out why.
Some have called the exhibition a "escrache", others a "counter-homage". Some call those who point the finger at the "fachos" "facho". There are also those who define it as a "counter-cultural exhibition against the official anti-humourist, cock-sucking official".
This artistic-festive trolley conceived as"an exhibition very much inspired by the cartoonist Nikgaturro" brought together the cartoons of more than 50 artists(list of authors). The event was enlivened by a group of DJ's and the group Mora y los metegoles performed to close the evening. The staff had a good time.
Some say that Nik himself came to the exhibition to admire the vignettes in which his character was being put through his paces.
Some of the works in the exhibition Gaturron't
Gaturro got into a pogo session and had a great time going from hand to hand, although he ended up losing his head.
All images are from Piranha Project. Website / Instagram and of the participating authors.
